Warne stands firm

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Australian spin king Shane Warne launched a passionate defence
of himself and his Hampshire team today as the English county
cricket sledging row showed no signs of slipping quietly away.

Warne insisted his conduct in the controversial clash with
Sussex stands up to the closest scrutiny and wants to see the
matter brought to a close.

The world's leading Test wicket-taker came in for severe
criticism from Sussex skipper Chris Adams who accused the
leg-spinner of being overly aggressive in his verbal sparring with
batsman Matt Prior.

"We conducted ourselves in a good manner and the umpires took
their hat off to us for the way we clapped their players off when
they made a good score," Warne told Sky Sports News today.

"The game was a hard one, everyone enjoyed it, there was no
reports, no nothing.

"It is disappointing the way Chris Adams conducted himself. I
think it is a bit hypocritical the way he did it and I am sure he
regrets it now.

"But it's closed, let's move on. It has got far too much airplay
as it is."

Warne says his conscience is clear and has no plans to apologise
for his actions.

"The reason you only hear about Australians sledging is we don't
say what happens out on the field," he added. "We just have a beer
afterwards.

"If people want to say what happens out in the middle and they
don't like it, I can't control that. I'm not going to apologise for
it either.

"I play the way I play and I'm not going to apologise for the
way Hampshire play.

"Anyone who comes up against us is going to be tested, mentally,
physically and if they can sustain the pressure and technically in
the way they play, then good.

"If they don't like it, we'll win easily which is good and what
we want to do. I'll make no apologies about the way we play.

"As I said before, it's always Australians being accused of
sledging generally because we don't say what other people say, we
leave it out in the middle.

"If anyone says what goes on in the middle, it is up to them and
their right to do that if they want to, but if I get sledged out in
the middle you won't hear me saying what anyone said to me."